Reception aged kids in pushchairs?

[RequestInUse]

Maybe I just have my judgy pants on, maybe they have a really long walk. But AIBU to think school aged children are generally too old for a pushchair?

Nobody is slagging her off. If you start an AIBU thread about something you may just get some opinions. If you leave the thought as a thought in your head you don't. It's the risk you take.

You're making a snap judgement based on my opinion of YOUR behaviour actually. Read back through my posts. Have I at any point been nasty, or called anyone a twat? Because that is more than I can say for other posters here and I say your behaviour in reference to posters here in general, not you personally btw. The only thing I have actually taken issue with is the way you all attacked the op for daring to have an opinion.

Come on, it's not really "lazy" to use a buggy, surely!

It's much easier for a parent not to have one - it's easy to get up and down steps, into shops, you have your hands free and can keep them nice and warm in your pockets instead of turning blue and frozen on the buggy handle.

If you were really lazy, you'd be indoors sprawled on the sofa, not pounding the streets pushing a heavy child in a pram!

They are a bit of a hassle, frankly - therefore we have to assume that for whatever reason (and there are plenty above) that sometimes not using one is even more hassle. It's hardly the default position of a human to walk along pushing a bulky 4-wheeled contraption. You're not going to do it unless you actually need to.

And heaven forbid that people should use something that makes their lives more convenient . Much better that everyone martyrs themselves and struggles rather than taking any steps to make things easier and more convenient!

It isn't a snap judgement though, you've voiced an opinion and some of us have commented saying we think it was judgemental.

one of the kids in dds class lives nearly 2 miles away. This was the school the council gave them after all the closer schools were full.
Mum didn't drive, so they walked. She had a younger sibling, so they had a buggy and a buggy board, or a buggy (for the toddler) and a scooter.

It was a bloody hard slog for the girl every day to walk 2 miles home after a full day in reception (having walked 2 miles in the morning)
All weathers, rain/snow/freezing etc.

I would not have blamed them at all for using a buggy for her if she had been able to.

No one is slagging her off? Please refer back to pages 1 and 3 where she was called an asshole and a goady twat. Being ignorant is a crime around here but you think its ok to speak to people like dirt? That is what I am judging you for.

I would tend to agree with you.
By there may be a medical reason and it's more practical to use a pushchair rather than wheelchair.
My friend was in a pushchair until that age because he has problems with his knees when walking long distances. And he's now looking at a knee replacement and he's only 22.

Since most older children without sn do not use buggies but many with sn do, the probability of a child you see in a buggy having sn is high.

Buggies are great

In the evenings when my children were age 4 and 2 I was able to take them out in the phil and Teds - it was a brisk 20 minutes walk to the park and back for me. We'd chat all the way there and the DC's could spend 20 or 30 mins walking and playing in the woods. It was a chance to spend time together after me being at work all day - and a chance to get fresh air.

Sometimes by the time I got home Dc2 would be asleep and I could put him straight to bed with no fuss.

I remember running home in the lashing rain - the DCs were all happy and dry under their rain cover and laughing at me getting soaked.

I'm sad now that DC1 is too big for the buggy - he'd crush it if I tried to put him in.

Also, if anyone thinks they can make any child walk a long distance they have not met my ULTRA stubborn DC2. He would literally break your heart - collapsing onto the ground, demanding to be carried and then put down, too heavy to carry, running away laughing... Etc. Why would I bother with any of it - stick him in a buggy and we're both happy. He's finally started using a scooter instead of a buggy. I kind of wish he was still in the buggy.

And the person above who said they judge other people's children having tantrums??? I just think 'thank god it isn't me dealing with that for once'. Having a child with autism means you learn to be very understanding and non-judgmental.

I am not reading this whole thread again, it's enough the first time. If there's stuff that's bothering you report it Alexa444.

Oh I already have.

Great. let MNHQ decide.

Maybe the reason I gave the op an arsehole merit badge is because as well as posting threads people do stare and judge and say stupid things and even if it is just lazy thinking, it affects my loved ones and makes their lives more difficult.

Think harder, take a second to hold that judgemental thought, be kind, don't be an arsehole - it isn't hard.

I invite everyone to some cake.

I'd agree that it's unusual to see reception age children going to / from school in a pushchair.

But if I see a school age child in a pushchair, then I assume there's a good reason for it, such as health problems or an unusually long walk between school and home.

Clandestino you ASK people why they still use a pushchair? Have you ever thought that their reply of "convenience" might be because they don't want to disclose a mobility/disability issue with someone who is clearly judging by simply asking the question??

Thank god you weren't around when I was little, I had one of those adapted pushchairs as I got diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis when I was 2 years old. I also had to have splints on my legs at night, regular physiotherapist sessions (the children's hospital saw me until I was 19) and I've had two sets of steroid injections (aged 2 and 14).

I also have long-term effects of my arthritis today, I walk on my tiptoes on the stairs and I walk on the side of my feet. I also have a slight curve of my spine!

The moral of this story is don't judge, not every condition is visible!

My four year old used her pushchair on days out like to brighton by train, have you walkedf from the station to the pier , played, been in the sea, etc, there was no way i was carrying a large but young 4 year old up the hill back to the station.

Also aged 3 it was used a few times a week for shopping and sometimes the round trip was 4 - 6 miles depending what supermarket we went to. i think if people dont have cars they tend to use the buggy for longer. Of course if you can jump in and out of a car nearer to where you need to go, then you probably wont use one.

i personally hate seeing little 1 and 2 years old forced to walk, they are trailing behind and look so tired, i wonder why they arent in a buggy or being carried, but i dont judge.

if people judge for buggy use then i think what an idiot as you know nothing of the situation or child or family. Its also a pretty petty thing to even wonder about.

I suppose It was my own fault: I should just have been clairvoyant and told the local judgy-pants that "it's quite all right, my dd will be diagnosed with a hidden disability in 6 years' time".

As it was, I felt judged and inadequate as a parent.

According to their website the average waiting time for a diagnosis for hypermobility syndrome is 10 years. That is, 10 years after you start experiencing chronic pain.

I have been known to use mine on occasion just to restrain ds who always runs off. Lots of stares as he is tall for his age and looks alot older than he is. Couldnt care less what people thought. I am in London, cars everywhere and tight timeframes. I get myself and my child from A to B however I please, thanks.

Also when i was younger, ie the 80s, you saw quite a few year 1 children going to school and being collected in a buggy. people obviously walked more and for longer back then.

I just think mind your own business as what you think is a four year old may be a large two year old, lots of little ones in my family are and were tall. Its not nice when tall children are constantly treated older than their years just because they are taller.

My 6 year old begged for a buggy at disney recently and lots of older kids ie 4 5 6 and 7 were in the disney ones, disney is hard work, i wished i had given in and got her one, we might have got to more rides.

I thought people would judge me using a buggy at the beginning of year R for my only-just-4 year old but nobody batted an eyelid at school or on the way. I only know a couple of Mums who do this now, one has a child with autism and the other has a child with some kind of physical disability. I have to say I did judge the Dad on CBeebies yesterday who pushed his kids to school in a wheelbarrow. It just didn't look very safe!